Saudade
by Miah-Chan
Summary: Mavis, how long had it been since she'd heard his voice, much less heard her name slide from his lips? (NaLu/Lucy-centered, potential GMG arc spoilers, temporary character death)


Again, my love for the Grand Magic Games arc rears its head.  
 ****** I used the mangapanda translations as my guide, so the dialogue may not be exactly what you're used to.

 **Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own "Fairy Tail" or any affiliated characters; all such belong to Hiro Mashima. :)

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 _Saudade_ : (n.) a nostalgic longing to be near again to something or someone that is distant; or that has been loved and then lost; "the love that remains"

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He was there.

Right in front of her.

 _Natsu_.

Lucy felt the sting of tears instantaneously as she gazed down at his face, his expression full of confused suspicion. The sound of his voice echoed in her ears, his question demanding to be answered. But she couldn't answer, couldn't speak—not yet.

 _Dear Mavis, it's him._

Hot tears slid down her cheeks at the sight of his dark eyes, his ridiculously _pink_ hair. Everything about him was familiar and it made her weep to see him this way again.

 _Whole._

 _Alive._

"S-Sorry…" she whispered, scrubbing at her eyes with the back of her hand. Through the blur of tears she saw his eyes widen—undoubtedly his sensitive hearing had picked up on her soft apology—as he slowly began to realize who was standing before him, impossible as it may have seemed.

 _Natsu…_ "Lend me your strength…" she begged quietly. She heard the murmurs of everyone else in the room at the sound of her voice, reminding her that they knew nothing of who she was or her purpose for being there. Slowly, she pulled back her hood to reveal herself to them.

As expected, shocked gasps filled the air, but her heart leapt painfully in her chest at _his_ exclamation:

" _Lucy?!_ "

Mavis, how long had it been since she'd heard his voice, much less heard her name slide from his lips?

As though entranced, Lucy watched him as she explained the reason behind her appearance. She couldn't get enough of him; seeing him, hearing him. Every expression, every movement, she saw with a dizzying clarity.

Dizzy…yes, she was so…dizzy, suddenly. The darkness was swallowing her whole.

When she next awoke, still in that castle, she readily continued her mission of explanation. Telling them the devastating fate that awaited them all was painful as it drudged up memories she'd long since blocked for sanity's sake.

 _10,000 dragons darkening the sky—  
—Fire, smoke, screams—  
—Terror, pain, all hope lost—_

 _Her closest friends, her_ family _, falling—_

"What…is… _that_?!" Natsu's howl snapped her out of her reverie.

She watched in fascinated disbelief as her nakama began gathering weaponry from around the room.

 _He…believes me. They_ believe _me._

She must have murmured something akin to her shocked thoughts because Natsu whirled around to face her.

"Is it a lie?" he demanded.

"No!" she cried. "But I wonder…will the others believe something like this?"

It was one thing for Natsu to believe but—

"Why would they doubt Lucy's words?"

Lucy stared at the dragonslayer, reveling in the timbre of his voice and the sheer honesty lacing his question.

 _"No one will doubt Lucy's words."_ _Natsu grinned at her confidently. Smoke and hellfire rained down around them and, yet, even now his faith was unshakable._

 _Lucy sobbed at the weight of it._

Smiling, Lucy averted her gaze, afraid all emotion she harbored would otherwise be revealed.

 _Even here…Natsu's faith in me hasn't wavered._

This fact was proven moments later, as she apologized for her lack of preparation in returning to the past without a strategy.

He touched her.

"Thank you." He murmured, resting his forehead against hers. She felt the weight of his palm atop the crown of her head, a reassuring pressure. His lips were turned up in a smile, eyes closed behind his bangs, but his gratitude and confidence seemed to seep into her through his touch.

Tears once again filled her eyes and it was all she could do not to tackle him in a bone-crushing hug.

 _It's been so long._

When the time came that they were faced with Future Rouge, Lucy knew there was no question which of her selves his blade would be piercing. The pain she felt was nothing next to what she'd already experienced in losing her nakama to the dragons.

' _I don't know what will happen now,_ ' she thought as she lay there, her past self kneeling next to her. ' _But…if nothing else…I got to see some of them one more time._ '

Her gaze drifted to Natsu, taking in the sight of his tense form. His shoulders were hunched, fists clenched by his sides as he stared at her in shock. Happy soon blocked her vision, his big, expressive eyes wide with horror and unshed tears.

"Lucy…no…don't die!" the little Exceed whimpered, scrambling to her side. She lifted her hand to pet his head, an action she realized she had engaged in not often enough. Trying, and failing, to comfort him, she settled for hugging his tiny form; a good-bye, of sorts, since she hadn't had the chance before.

Seeing her Fairy Tail mark still in its proper place on her past self's right hand made her smile. Fond memories of the day she received it flooded her mind.

 _"Natsu! Look! I got the Fairy Tail mark tattooed!"_

 _"Hm? Oh that's nice Luigi."_

She chuckled silently to herself, eyes closing. She had missed that Natsu and his infuriating forgetfulness. She missed everything about her past. Now, it was up to them.

"Protect…the future." She beseeched as darkness overcame her once more.

She floated there, in darkness, for an uncertain amount of time. Everything was quiet—she'd missed the quiet. Finally it seemed there was no more pain, no more terror, just…peace.

And yet…there was a burning sensation against her face, a light shining against her closed lids, something warm yet scratchy against her back…

Opening her eyes, Lucy stared at the sky, a brilliant blue with the fluffiest white clouds she'd ever seen. Sitting up, she looked around wearily.

"Where…am I…?"

Pushing herself to her feet—with _two_ whole arms, she marveled—Lucy stood and glanced around, trying to gather her bearings. A soft wind caressed her face, sifting through her pig-tailed hair.

 _'Is this…Heaven?'_

"Hey! Lucy!"

Breath catching, Lucy turned in what felt like slow-motion. And there, a couple of darkened silhouettes against the bright sun, she saw them.

 _Alive._

 _Whole._

He was there.

Right in front of her.

Tears pooled in her eyes.

"Get over here already!"  
"Everyone's here waiting!"

 _Natsu._

He touched her—and then they were running, off on their next adventure.

 _"Ne, Lucy?"  
"Yeah?"  
"I knew you'd be back. No one could doubt Lucy's words."_

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A cookie for you if you recognized the passage from **the prologue** "Oriflamme" ;)

Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed! :D

~Miah-Chan


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